Velocipede-pedal



(No Model.) 2 lsheetssheet 1,

E. G. LATTA.` VELOCIPEDE PEDAL.

No; 599,909. Patented Mar. 1,1898.

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(No Model.) y 2 Slieets-Sheet 2.

E. G. LATTA. VBLOGIPEDB PEDAL.

No. 599,909. Patented Mar. 1, 1898.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EMMIT Gr. LATTA, OF FRIENDSHIP, NEW YORK.

vELoClPl-:DE-PEDAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 599,909, dated March 1, 1898. Application filed December 17, 1895. Serial No. 572,398. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, EMMIT G. LATTA, a citizen of the United States, residing at Friendship, in the county of Allegany and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Velocipede-Pedals, of whichv of two sheets, Figure l is a longitudinal sectional elevation of a pedal embodying my improvements, showing the same in the form of a rubber pedal. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the same in line 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detached plan view of the outer or main frame of the pedal, showing the ends thereof separated. Fig. 4 is an elevation of the outer end of the combined foot-guard and clamping-bars. Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation of the inner portion of the pedal-shaft and barrel, showing the'position of the parts for introducing the balls into the inner bearingcup. Fig. 6 is a similar view showing a modiiied construction of the ball-inlet. Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the pedal in the form of a rat-trap pedal. Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the rat-trap pedal with the outer foot-guard omitted. Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the outer foot-guard used'in connection with the rat-trap pedal. Fig. l0 isa longitudinal sectional elevation of a modied construction of the pedal. Fig. 1l is a side elevation thereof.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

A is the shaft or journal of the pedal, which is provided at its inner end with the usual screw-stem a for attaching it to the crank and with a square or hat-sided portion a for receiving a wrench. The pedal-shaft is provided at its outer end with an integral bearing-cone d2 and near its inner end with a ballgroove a3, which is formed between two integral annular collars a4 (tithe inner one f which forms a bearing-cone.

B is the hub or barrel of the pedal inclosing the pedal-shaft and having at its inner end an integral bearing-cup b and a pair of radial arms b b2, extending from diametrically opposite sides of the cup.

b3 represents the row of balls interposed between the inner bearing-cup and the opposing cone. The adjacent arm b is provided with a ball-inlet b4, leading to the inner bear; ing-cup, which inlet is preferably formed by making said arm hollow, as shown in the drawings. j

C is the outerbearing-cup, which is formed by the closed outer end of a cap screwed into theouter end of the pedal-barrel, and c are the balls arranged between this cup and the outer cone of the shaft.

The two bearing-cups b and C are reversed or faced inwardly instead of outwardly, as usually arranged.

The main frame of the pedal consists of a band or strip of sheet metal bent into the oblong form shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 7, the straight side bars D D of the frame being serrated at their edges, as shown in Fig. 8, and forming rat-trap blades. The end portions or extensions D2 D3 of these side bars are bent inwardly in opposite directions, soy

as to overlap each other. The inner trans'- verse end portion D2 is secured at its end to the inner side of the adjacentside bar D by a screw-bolt CZ or other fastening, while the end of the outer end portion D3 is secured to the outer side of the opposite side bar by a similar fastening, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 7. By thus extending both end portions of the strip across the pedal-frame the side bars are connected by three cross-pieces* namely, one cross-piece D4 at the inner end of the frame and the two cross-pieces D2 D3,

forming a double cross-bar, at the outer end IOO the cross-bar D2 by pressing the central por'- tion of the bar inwardly, as shown -in the drawings. The side bars of the pedal-frame are secured to the outer ends of the radial arms b b2 of the barrel, preferably by passing the contracted end portions of said arms through openings in the bars and upsetting or riveting the ends of the arms, as shown in Figs. l and 7. In assembling the barrel and pedal-frame after screwing the outer end of the barrel into the sleeve E the side bars of the frame are riveted to the radial arms b b2 of the barrel and the end portions of the side bars are then secured to the side bars by the screw-bolts d. This construction produces a pedal of much greater rigidity than one in which the outer end of the pedal-frame consists of a single cross-bar. The central portion of the innermost crossbar D4 is perforated for the passage of the pedal-shaft, and the bar is widened or provided with projections at this point to form guards ff' at the inner end of the pedal for preventing the riders foot from slipping against the crank.

gis a spring or automatic catch whereby the outer adjustable bearing-cup C is yieldingly held against turning. This spring is secured at one end to the pedal-frame by one of the bolts d and engages with its opposite or free end in one of a series of notches g', formed in a rim or flange of said cup, as shown in Figs. l and 7, the spring passing through a longitudinal slot g2, formed in the intermediate cross-bar D2 of the pedal-frame. This intermediate cross-bar while increasing the rigidity of the pedal-frame serves also as a guard, which prevents the riders clothing from catching on the notched iiauge of the adjustable cup.

In placing the pedal-shaft and the balls in position the adjustable bearing cup C is screwed about half-way into the barrel and the outer row of balls is then dropped into said cup through the inner bearing-cup b. i

The pedal-shaft is next placed into the barrel and the balls of the inner bearing are introduced through the ball-inlet b4, the shaft being held in such a position during this operation that its inner ball-groove a3 stands opposite the'inner end of the ball-inlet, asl shown in Fig. 5, so as to cause the balls to enl ter said groove. The ball-race of the inner bearing-cup b is widened or elongated transversely suiiciently to permit of this movement of the shaft, as shown in the drawings.

Any wear of the bearings is readily taken up by screwing the outer cup C farther into the barrel of the pedal, the cup being released for this purpose by compressing the spring g sufficiently to clear the notched flange of the cup.

The outer end of the ball-inlet b4 is closed by a screw or screw-plug 7L, which is preferably hollow and provided in one side with an opening or duct h' for the admission of oil, this opening being exposed for use by partly unscrewing the plug, as shown in Fig. 7.

If desired, the arms of the pedal-barrel may be made solid, as shown in Fig. 6, and in this case the ball-inlet b5 is formed obliquely in the inner portion of one of the arms instead of axially, as in the construction previously described.

The outer wall or collar a5 of the ball-groove a3 closes the opening at the outer end of the inner bearing-cup b and excludes dust from the latter.

By this construction of the pedal-shaft and bearings the shaft is formed in one piece with the cones and all portions of the same excepting its flat-sided portion a' can be easily made by lathework alone. The opening in the outer end of the cup b is smaller than if made to admit the balls in the usual way, and the oil is therefore retained and the dust excluded to better advantage.

I I represent longitudinal rubber bars or strips which are arranged on the outer sides of the serrated side bars of the pedal-frame and which are clamped between said bars and metallic bars or strips J. The latter are preferably connected at their outer ends by a bow or cross-piece J', formed integrally therewith and serving as an outer foot-guard, the cross- IOO piece being for this purpose formed with guard projections j. g clamped in position near their ends by the screws d h and a screw 7c engaging in the outer end of the radial barrel-arm b2. The several screws pass through longitudinal slots j', formed in the clamping-bars J, so that upon loosening these screws the U-shaped frame formed by the clamping-bars and the footguard J can be adjusted lengthwise on the pedal-frame, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1,'for increasing or diminishing the distance between the inner and outer footguards to suit the size of the riders foot. The edges of the rubber strips project beyond the edges of the rat-trap side bars, as shown in Fig. 2, and the clamping-plates are preferably provided with marginal ianges 3'2, which bear against the inner sides of the overhanging edge portions of the rubber bars, whereby such edge portions are better supported than they would be if the clamping-plates were not flanged. The flanges also stiften the clamping-plates.

In the form shown in Fig. 1 the pedal is a so-called rubber pedal and the rat-trap bars serve merely as a part of the frame.

Should the rider desire a rat-trap pedal The rubber bars are IIO izo

without an outer guard, the combined clamping-frame and guard J J and the rubber bars I are detached from the pedal-frame by removing the fastening-screws d h and 7s, when the pedal will appear as shown in Fig. 8.

In case a rat-trap pedal with both an inner and an outer foot-guard should be desired a detachable guard of the construction shown in Figs. '7 and 9 is applied to the outer end of the pedal. This guard consists of an approximately U -shaped strip of sheet metal adapted to embrace the side bars of the pedal-frame and having its side members L provided at their ends with inwardly-projecting studs Z, which are adapted to engage in openings Z', formed in the side bars of the pedal-frame, as shown in Fig. 7 ,the side bars being provided with a longitudinal series of such openings, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8, so that the guard may be adjusted inwardly or outwardly on the pedal-frame by springing its studs into a set of such openin gs. This adjustable guard is firmly secured in place by the screw-bolts d, which pass through longitudinal slots Z2,

vformed in the side members of the guard.

Upon loosening these bolts the side members of the guard can be sprung apart for withdrawing their studs from theholes of the pedal-frame and after adjusting the guard the screws are again tightened.

By constructing the pedal as herein shown and described a dealer having but one pair of the pedals in stock can furnish a customer with either a rubber or a' rat-trap pedal and either of these two forms with an outer adj ustable foot-guard, if desired.

In Figs. l and ll is shown a less expensive form of pedal embodying the improved frame and bearings of the constructions previously described. In this modication of the invention the side bars D5 of the pedal-frame are made in two pieces instead'of a single piece, and are disconnected at theirrear ends,while their front portions D6 are bent transversely across the outer end of the pedal, as in the construction first described. The overlapping end portions or bars are secured together by rivets m instead of screws, and the outer bar forms a xed foot-guard. The outer bearing-cup C' is screwed over the outerend of the pedal-barrel instead of into it, and the cup is held in place by a screw n instead of a spring-catch.

The bearings of my improved pedal comprise few parts, which are not liable to work loose. The pedal-frame,while possessing considerable strength and rigidity, presents a smooth outer surface, and the cost of manufacture ofthe complete pedal is comparatively small. Y f I claim as my inventionl. In a pedal, the combination with a shaft and a surrounding barrel, of a pedal-frame, and a supporting-arm connecting the frame with the barrel and provided with an oil duet or passage leading from the outer end thereof to the interior of the barrel, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with a pedal hub or barrel having a bearing-cup provided lin its side with a ball inlet or aperture, of a shaft capable of lengthwise movement in said barrel and .having a bearing-cone arranged within said cup and a row of balls interposed between said cup and said cone, the ball-race of the cup being of sufficient width to permit the cone to be shifted inwardly inthe bearing-cup beyond its ball-inlet, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with a pedal hub 0r barrel having at its outer end an adjustable bearing-cup and at its inner end a fixed bearing-cup provided in its side with a ball-inlet and having a transversely-elon gated ball-race of a shaft having bearing-cones arranged in said inner and outer oups, respectively, and balls interposed between said cones and cups, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination with the center barrel of a pedal, of an outer frame composed of a single strip of metal bent into oblong form and having both. its end portions extended across the outer end of the pedal, one on the inner side of the other, forming a double cross-bar, the inner bar being connected to the outer end of the center barrel and the other cross-bar forming a guard for the inner bar,

lsubstantially as set forth.

Witness my hand this 2d day of December, 1895.

EMMrr G. LATTA.

Witnesses:

C. J. RICE, H. L. BLossoM. 

